Alice Melao,  —

Long-term exposure to high levels of the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) may lead to a recurrence of Cushing’s disease even after surgical treatment, according to a case report. Detailed guidelines are needed to help physicians determine the best approach to treating patients with Cushing’s and preventing disease recurrence. The study, “…

Corcept Therapeutics has received notice that it will be issued a new patent in the U.S. covering the use of Korlym (mifepristone), in combination with strong CYP3A inhibitors, to treat patients with Cushing’s syndrome. Upon issuance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the company plans to add…

Mutations in USP48 and BRAF genes contribute to the overproduction of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) hormone by the pituitary gland and consequent development of Cushing’s disease, a study shows, linking these genes to the disease for a first time. The study, “Identification…

A study examining the genes expressed in pituitary tumors of Cushing’s disease patients found that these tumors may be grouped into three distinct subsets. The finding suggests that different biological processes contribute to the development of each subset, an insight that may aid in developing targeted therapies. The study, “…

Cushing’s syndrome patients who have adrenal insufficiency have increased risk of death due to disease-related complications, rather than adrenal crisis or adverse occurrences, an observational study suggests. The study, “Mortality data from the European Adrenal Insufficiency Registry—Patient characterization and associations,” was published in the journal Clinical…

Cushing’s disease patients who exhibit nodules or masses in their lungs should be thoroughly investigated to exclude fungal infection with Cryptococcus neoformans, a study from China suggests. While rare, the infection can be life-threatening, showing a particularly worse prognosis in patients with fluid infiltration in their lungs or with low white blood…

Children with pituitary adenomas have similar responses to surgery and long-term outcomes as adult patients with the same type of tumors, new research shows. The only exception are growth hormone (GH)-secreting tumors, which have higher recurrence rates in children than adults. The study, “Pediatric Pituitary Adenomas: Early and…

Researchers have identified several parameters that could help distinguish silent corticotroph adenomas — benign pituitary tumors that produce adrenocorticotropic hormone — from other nonfunctioning pituitary tumors. Because these tumors usually have a more aggressive clinical course, the findings may help determine the most appropriate management approach for patients before they undergo…

Long-term treatment with Signifor LAR, a long-acting formulation of pasireotide, effectively reduced pituitary tumor volume and improved symptoms of Cushing’s disease, results from a Phase 3 extension trial show. These findings were discussed in the poster, “Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Once-Monthly Pasireotide in Patients…

To help improve the effectiveness of surgical treatment of Cushing’s disease, researchers conducted a study to determine common failures. They classified these failures into six different categories. Results were reported in the study, “Root cause analysis of diagnostic and surgical failures in the treatment of suspected Cushing’s…